1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to temperature control switches, and more particularly, a temperature control switch suitable for use as a switch for controlling a target temperature of an air conditioner in a vehicle such as a motor vehicle, wherein the control knob can be readily identified.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a vehicle such as a motor vehicle, switches for controlling loads of various lamps, an air conditioner and the like are provided at positions where, particularly, a driver can easily operate, and, when the driver desires to operate or control one of the loads, he operates the switch upon identifying it. However, in order to further facilitate the operation of the vehicles, recently, there is a trend toward an increased number of various switches, and, there is a possibility of becoming difficult to identify the switch with the increase of the number of the switches.
Now, to facilitate the identification of a switch, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, there has been made such a proposal that control knobs 12, 14 and 16 disposed on a plate 11 of a switch 10 are changed in shape and way of disposition, whereby, even if a driver does not look at the control knob directly, it becomes possible for him to perceive differences in shape or position of one of the control knobs when he touches it and to identify the function of the control knob which he has touched, so that he can readily select the control knob which he desires to operate.
As a switch in which a control knob can be identified by a picture identification method, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open No. 51838/1980 for example, there has been made a proposal, wherein, in a switch device provided with a light emitting member which emits a light when a switch portion in a picture showing a vehicle drawn on a flexible indication plate is pressed, a portion of the light emitting member is projected from the aforesaid switch portion on the flexible indication plate to thereby facilitate the switch operation when the switch device is controlled.
However, there has heretofore been presented such a problem that, unless the driver becomes satisfactorily familiar with the shapes or way of disposition of the control knobs, he may make mistakes in selecting or discriminating the control knob.